NEW FROM THE WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

The Wind And The Lion (1975) – Writer/director John Milius is enjoying a bit of a resurgence these days with the release of the Epix documentary Milius and a reappraisal of his work. This ’75 adventure, now making its Blu-ray debut, ranks among his best. Sean Connery stars as a sheik who kidnaps American Candice Bergen, lighting an international incident that attracts the attention of Teddy Roosevelt (Brian Keith). This is a good one, folks. Check ‘er out.

Seduced And Abandoned (2013) – James Toback and Alec Baldwin trek to the Cannes Film Festival in search of financing for a new film. At least, that’s the pretext for this state-of-the-art-form documentary snapshot that debuted on HBO. Ryan Gosling, Jessica Chastain, Martin Scorsese and a host of others also make appearances.

Maverick: The Complete Fifth Season (1961-62) – The final 13 episodes of the original series places the focus solely on Jack Kelly as Bart Maverick, with James Garner and the rest of the extended Maverick clan having ridden off into the sunset.

Without A Trace: The Complete Seventh Season (2008-09) – The final 24 episodes of the CBS Missing Persons show with Anthony LaPaglia and Poppy Montgomery.

NEW FROM 20TH CENTURY FOX CINEMA ARCHIVES

Kentucky (1938) – Walter Brennan won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role in this horse-racing drama. Loretta Young and Richard Greene are young, in love, and forced apart due to an old family rivalry.

Forever Amber (1947) – Finally, from the “It’s About Freakin’ Time” Department, we get this JET’s Most Wanted pick directed by Otto Preminger. Linda Darnell stars as a young country girl who rises through the social strata to join the court of King Charles II (George Sanders). David Raksin’s score was nominated for an Oscar.

Sorry this column is appearing a little later than usual this week. But I would be remiss in my duties as The Bits’ official chronicler of Manufactured-On-Demand titles if I didn’t chime in on this week’s offerings. There are a few very intriguing discs this week, so head over to Ye Olde Warner Shoppe Dot Com (via yon banner) for Warner Archive’s titles and Amazon’s Wonder Emporium for your Fox desires. [Read on here...]

NEW FROM THE WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Hit The Deck (1955) – Warner Archive’s latest Blu-ray release is this late-era MGM musical with Debbie Reynolds, Jane Powell, Ann Miller and many more. I believe this is Variation #2,892 on the “Sailors On Shore Leave” musical plot.

The Cars: Heartbeat City (1984) – Here’s the week’s biggest and most pleasant surprise, for my money. The Cars’ long out-of-print “Video Album” of their classic ’84 LP finally makes the jump from VHS to DVD. Ric Ocasek, Benjamin Orr and the band perform “You Might Think”, “Drive” and more in music videos directed by such folks as Timothy Hutton and Andy Warhol. Perfect programming for your next MTV Flashback Weekend. What, you do have those, don’t you?

Bret Maverick: The Complete Series (1981) – James Garner returned to his second most iconic character (or maybe his most iconic, if you’re older than I am) in this short-lived NBC series. Westerns weren’t exactly at the height of their popularity in 1981, so it isn’t a huge surprise that this didn’t catch on. But it’s reportedly pretty entertaining and worth a look for Garner fans, a group that should include just about everybody.

Irene (1940) – Playboy Ray Milland romances shopgirl Anna Neagle in this adaptation of the popular Broadway musical that includes an extended sequence in living Technicolor.

Smartest Girl In Town/She’s Got Everything (1936-37) – Ann Sothern and Gene Raymond take the spotlight in the first of two double feature discs this week. In Smartest Girl In Town, Ann’s a model on the prowl for a rich husband. Gene fits the bill but Ann mistakenly thinks he’s broke, so won’t give him the time of day. In the second feature, she’s an heiress who inherits her father’s mountain of debts and IOUs.

The Mayor Of 444th Street/Radio Stars On Parade (1942-45) – A double feature of Music and The Mob movies. In Mayor, George Murphy is a booking agent in trouble with tough guy Richard Barthelmess. Radio features the comedy stylings of Brown & Carney as they struggle to keep their agency afloat.

Broadway Bill (1934) – The first of four Paramount titles coming back into print from Warner Archive this week. Frank Capra directs Warner Baxter and Myrna Loy in this comedy about a man who married for money who risks everything on a racehorse.

Detective Story (1951) – Kirk Douglas stars in this noir-ish adaptation of the play depicting a day in the life of New York’s 21st Precinct.

Islands In The Stream (1977) – A pretty good adaptation of Ernest Hemingway’s book about a sculptor who lives on an isolated island visited by his three young sons. Not a great movie but George C. Scott’s performance makes it worth checking out.

Falling In Love (1984) – Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep star in this Brief Encounter-like romance. A surprisingly pedestrian and forgettable movie considering the stars and the fact that this was one of the few films directed by the underrated Ulu Grosbard.

NEW FROM 20TH CENTURY FOX CINEMA ARCHIVES

Star Dust (1940) – Another early Hollywood you-oughtta-be-in-pictures yarn with Linda Darnell as a young starlet signed to an exclusive contract by talent scout Roland Young.

Good Morning, Miss Dove (1955) – A heartwarming piece of Americana with Jennifer Jones as a small town schoolteacher reflecting on the students whose lives she touched over the years.

Decline And Fall…Of A Birdwatcher (1968) – Robin Phillips stars in this adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s satirical novel. This tries, a little too hard, to be like the 1965 movie version of Waugh’s The Loved One.

But WonderCon is invading Anaheim this weekend and Warner Archive has a big presence with several panels and a booth on the floor. Smart money says to expect a few announcements to trickle out of the con, so keep your eyes and ears open. In the meantime, here is Warner Archive’s panel schedule, for those of you heading to Anaheim. [Read on here...]

7:00–8:00pm Toonstock with Warner Archive Collection – There’s no better way to start WonderCon’s Saturday night than with a spotlight on toe-tapping, music-themed animated TV series from the past 50 years, including Josie and Pussycats in Outer Space, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kids, The Amazing Chan and the Chan Clan, Jabberjaw and more. Warner Archive Collection podcast hosts Matt Patterson and DW Ferranti – and a few surprises – offer a fun look/listen to great themes songs from 1960-1990s. Room 300AB

Sunday, 4/20/14

Noon–1:00pm From Chuck Norris to Mr. T: Real-Life Toons and Back Again! – Not only have a bevy of live-action stars like Chuck Norris, Mr. T and the Globetrotters played huge roles in nearly forgotten cartoons, but many popular ‘toon heroes – like The Spirit, Captain Marvel and Steel – have made the journey from four-color panels to live-action film. Warner Archive Collection podcast hosts DW Ferranti and Matthew Patterson – and a few surprise guests, like renowned screenwriter Steve E. de Souza (Die Hard, 48 HRS.) – celebrate these luminaries and more in their favorite, sometimes-forgotten adaptations in an undoubtedly hilarious hour-long panel. Room 300AB

3:00–4:00pm GoBots, Warner Archive Collection and beyond! – There are morphing robots and then there’s the GoBots! Warner Archive Collection puts a spotlight on the ultimate transforming robots with a release of the entire series on DVD, and a panel that features the voice of Leader1 himself, Lou Richards; story editor/writer Alan Burnett; writer Kelly Ward; and all-knowing WAC podcast hosts Matthew Patterson and DW Ferranti. Come for the GoBots, stay for all kinds of fun WAC information, including a hearty shout-out to Jonny Quest on his 50th Anniversary. Room 300AB

NEW FROM THE WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

Wildcat Bus (1940) – Fay Wray’s Los-Angeles-to-San-Francisco bus route is jeopardized by saboteurs looking to muscle her and her pop out of business! Good news for those of you looking to finally complete your movies-set-on-a-bus collection.

Race Street (1948) – Ex-bookie George Raft tries to go legit by starting a nightclub. But when his best pal is knocked off by protection goons, he knocks heads with cop William Bendix in his quest for vengeance. Another entry in Warner Archive’s ongoing Film Noir collection.

Sky Full Of Moon (1952) – Carleton Carpenter stars as “Tumbleweeds” Williams, a cowpoke with dreams of becoming a big rodeo star in Vegas. Ah, I remember when I had dreams of making it big in the rodeo circuit. Good luck, Tumbleweeds.

A Slight Case Of Larceny (1953) – The late Mickey Rooney costars with Eddie Bracken in this post-war comedy about two pals who open a service station and end up in a shady price war with their competition.

NEW FROM 20TH CENTURY FOX CINEMA ARCHIVES

Marry The Boss’s Daughter (1941) – Bruce Edwards comes to NYC to make it in Big Business and climbs the corporate ladder with the help of boss’s daughter Brenda Joyce.

That Other Woman (1942) – Secretary Virginia Gilmore schemes to win the heart of her boss (James Ellison).

Scudda Hoo! Scudda Hay! (1948) – Cornpone romantic comedy about a farmhand, the gal he loves and two mules. This would likely be completely forgotten today if it weren’t for its goofball title and an early, uncredited appearance by Marilyn Monroe.

It’s a mixed bag of MOD madness this week, with animation, musicals and some wonders and oddities coming back into print after a long absence. Plus, there’s word of a couple new Blu-ray releases coming from Warner Archive in the near future: the 1955 musical Hit The Deck and John Milius’ The Wind And The Lion with Sean Connery. More on those gems when they arrive but for now, as per usual, click on the sassy l’il banner on this page to head over to the Warner Archive shop and head over to Amazon for all your Fox needs and desires. [Read on here...]

Caged (1950) – One of the earliest women-in-prison movies and one of the few in that genre to be nominated for Academy Awards. Eleanor Parker, Agnes Moorehead, Ellen Corby and Hope Emerson star in this tough crime picture from director John Cromwell.

Treasure Island (1934) – One of the best versions of Robert Louis Stevenson’s oft-filmed story with Wallace Beery as an unforgettable Long John Silver, Jackie Cooper as Jim Hawkins and Lionel Barrymore as Billy Bones.

NEW FROM 20TH CENTURY FOX CINEMA ARCHIVES

Footlight Serenade (1942) – Boxer Victor Mature joins a Broadway show and falls for chorus girl Betty Grable, but she’s already engaged to John Payne. Phil Silvers also makes an appearance in this enjoyable musical.

The Pleasure Seekers (1964) – Three American women share an apartment in Madrid and each of them go looking for love in all the wrong places. Ann-Margret, Carol Lynley, and Gene Tierney star in this musical remake of Three Coins In The Fountain, both of which were directed by Jean Negulesco.

It’s a bit of a slow week for Warner Archive but the next waves of Sony and Fox titles are here to pick up the slack, ready to be manufactured upon your demand.

Visit the Warner Archive shop for all your Warner and Sony needs, Amazon for Fox and add discs a’plenty to your shopping carts. [Read on here...]

NEW FROM THE WARNER ARCHIVE COLLECTION

The Last Of Mrs. Cheyney (1929) – Warner Archive released the 1937 remake of this with Joan Crawford just about a month ago. Now it’s time for the original with Norma Shearer and Basil Rathbone, still working the kinks out of this new fad called “talkies”.

Her Cardboard Lover (1942) – Norma Shearer’s final film casts her as a socialite who engages songwriter Robert Taylor to pose as her paramour in an attempt to get rid of her ex-lover George Sanders. Directed by George Cukor from a play adapted by, among others, P.G. Wodehouse, this seems like it ought to have a better reputation considering all the talent involved.

First Cousin Once Removed (2012) – Filmmaker Alan Berliner paints a portrait of his cousin, poet Edwin Honig, as he struggles with Alzheimer’s in this HBO documentary.

Life According To Sam (2013) – More non-fiction from HBO with filmmakers Sean and Andrea Fine getting to know the Berns family and their son, Sam, who suffers from the rare progressive aging disorder, progeria.

The Class: The Complete Series (2006-07) – The short-lived sitcom about a group of third-grade classmates who reunite as adults comes to DVD. I don’t remember this show at all but it stars several people who went on to become familiar faces, including Jason Ritter, Lizzy Caplan, Jon Bernthal and Lucy Punch.

NEW FROM 20TH CENTURY FOX CINEMA ARCHIVES

The Gay Deception (1935) – Frances Dee wins big in the lottery (five thousand whole dollars!) and immediately heads to New York to blow the whole wad, catching the eye of prince Francis Lederer. Directed by William Wyler.

Bachelor Flat (1962) – The great Frank Tashlin directs this JET’s Most Wanted pick, an attempt to turn UK comic Terry-Thomas into a star in the US. His co-stars include Tuesday Weld, Richard Beymer and Celeste Holm.

The Marriage Of A Young Stockbroker (1971) – Richard Benjamin stars as the bored title character who begins looking outside his marriage for kicks. Co-stars Adam West with a screenplay by the late Lorenzo Semple, Jr.

NEW FROM THE SONY PICTURES CHOICE COLLECTION

Alamo Bay (1985) – Twilight Time recently released this Louis Malle film on Blu-ray and it’s still available (as of this writing) from Screen Archives Entertainment. But if you’d rather go the MOD route for some reason, Sony’s got you covered.

Bait (1954) – Cult auteur Hugo Haas directs and co-stars in this odd noir about mining partners at odds and the blonde bombshell (Cleo Moore) who comes between them.

Confessions Of A Window Cleaner (1974) – Robin Askwith and Anthony Booth starred in several “Confessions” movies in the 1970s, naughty British comedies in the Carry On mold. This one was the first, directed by Val Guest, and maybe the best, although they’re all reputed to be pretty god-awful.

Confessions Of A Driving Instructor (1976) – Askwith and Booth return for more. Millions of others did not.